Blindness Revisited
by Cathy McCaskill
Summary: Marissa fights for her life in the operating room as Gary Hobson struggles to survive in the hospital's waiting room


**BlindnessRevisitedCathy McCaskill**

Gary Hobson had loved Marissa for years. It started the first time he heard her voice. He had called in sick to the office. Gary had the 'I'm dumping you as a husband for a younger model with a larger bank account' blues. Marcia, his ex-wife, had told him that it was 'Nothing personal'

"How can you divorce your husband on your third anniversary and say its nothing personal?" Gary had questioned back then but, Marissa washed the bitterness from him. He was caught by the compassion in her voice. Gary mused that her voice was like audible black velvet. He smiled just thinking of the sound and her rich dark beauty. Anxiety floated into the hospital's family waiting room with the piped in classical music.

"It's been three hours and fifty-five minutes. Where is that doctor? Gary raked his left hand through his damp hair.

"Gary, the doctor told you that her cornea transplant would take about four hours or maybe more. Marissa's fine. Have a little faith." Harvey said convincingly.

"That's easy for you to say, but that's my life in there. I begged her not to have this….operation. We're fine just the way we are." Gary said angrily.

"Marissa wants to see Gary. She wants to see you and one day your baby. Do you really want to deny her something that you take for granted?"

Harvey pushed a cup of latte over to Gary. Gary knew that had been unable to deny Marissa anything. His mother, who loved them both, had warned Gary to **lead** his family as a Christian husband because to whom much is given, much is required. It was the unspoken part of that cryptic message that spoke volumes.

"Drink some brew it may help you calm down." Harvey slyly commented.

"The way you're pushing the stuff someone would think you're the owner of the coffee shop or something." Gary drank two swallows. "I've had enough already." Gary replied impatiently.

"Okay. Okay. Don't shoot me," laughed Harvey holding up his hands in mock surrender.

"I need some air. Take my cell phone if you hear anything text message me on Marissa's cell. Gary placed his hand on his blue Polo shirt pocket. "Don't hesitate." Gary commanded. In the hospital corridor he sighed and wandered aimlessly down one sterile hallway and then another. He stopped when he saw the reflection of a large purple cross on the wall opposite him. He sat quietly in the last pew. A petite dark haired woman sat in the first pew. He could hear her sob through her prayers.

"Lord, please cure Clark. I need him. We've just married and we thank you for that blessing. Please have mercy upon him. Amen." The petite woman gathered her purse and tissues. She nodded distractedly when she saw Gary.

"I pray things go well with your husband. I know what's it is like to have your spouse in a place like this at the beginning of your life together." Gary whispered.

"I'll pray for your wife too." Lois said and walked to see her husband. Gary walked to the first pew.

"Hello, Lod. I am here with the same request that I have put before you since I admitted my love of Marissa. Please continue to grant us mercy and give us enough strength and wisdom to love you and then we'll have enough to keep loving each other. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen." Gary got up from his knees and walked back to the family waiting room. Gary saw Marissa friend, Francis perched on the edge of a plastic chair. Gary did not know her well and Marissa would only tell him that Francis was 'high maintenance.'

. "Gary, I had to come. I can only stay for a few minutes. I brought you some black coffee. I'm on my lunch break. How's Marissa?" Francis was her usual nervous self. Gary felt uncomfortable around her.

"No word yet, but we're prayerful. I'll let Marissa know you came by. Thank you." Gary flashed a weak smile.

"Well I hope her blood pressure stays down or at somewhere near normal. I know the optical part of the procedure is not a walk around the mulberry bush, but a spiking blood pressure could cause the tiny blood vessels to rupture in her brain. Killing her just like that." Francis stretched her eyes and snapped her skinny fingers.

"Don't get me started on the numerous documented cases of patient coming in for operations and having the wrong body part removed. Mr. Morrison from our legal firm went in to have a mole removed from his stomach and they castrated him. Don't get me started on the thousands who die from the germs festering in these places." Francis looked at Harvey cautiously.

"Ahchoo. Ahchoo. Sorry for that but I think my pneumonia is coming back." Harvey said wickedly. Harvey winked at Gary.

"Right now we're handling a case for a Miss Anna May Smith, no relation to the other Anna N. Smith, who had her optic nerve slashed when the surgeon sneezed during her cornea transp…...Never mind about that… Please have the coffee. I purchased it with my last money in the whole world. Starbucks should be ashamed at charging such outlandish prices in a place of healing. It's like asking people to pay for coffee in a funeral home." Francis stated curtly. Gary rolled his eyes at Harvey who was laughing and drank some of the coffee.

"Thanks again. We don't want you to be late. I'll be sure and let Marissa know you stopped by." Gary said politely showing Francis the door. Gary watched the gaunt woman walk past the door's window and then double back and finally prod down the adjacent corridor clutching a tissue to her nose protectively.

"Now aren't you glad that bundle of cheer stopped by? There ought to a law against letting people like her in a hospital or lose on the unsuspecting public." Harvey grinned. "She won't forget that sneeze for years to come." Harvey sat down and laughed.

"But she may sue you for infecting her." Gary smirked. He was exhausted. He felt for the large stuffed chair behind him and felt himself stumbled spilling the last of the coffee onto his pants. He attempted to wipe them with some of the tissue that Francis had left on the table, but could not get his hand to cooperate. He felt the room spin and sway. He was slowly losing consciousness, but he could not control himself. Harvey eased him into the chair.

"Sit back Gary….you look like something Marissa's friend was talking about." Harvey smiled lifting his right brow.

"I just need a minute to close…my eyes." Gary could feel perspiration forming on his top lip and brow. He closed his eyes. He could feel the cool air come into the room. He wanted to say something and open his eyes, but Gary couldn't. He could hear Harvey say something to the nurse,

"I'm Marissa's husband." It sounded as if heard Harvey had walked out the room with the nurse. Gary stopped struggling and faded into the warm blackness. He felt his consciousness slip away.

"Mr. Hobson….Gary wake up….how could you sleep at a time like this? You're wife's blood pressure is spiking…I would say I told but you so, but I'm not that kind of person. You should be at her side… not catching a beauty nap." Gary felt Francis shaking him by the shoulders.

**Chapter 2**

As Gary entered his wife's hospital room he noticed Marissa sleeping peacefully. The nurse had told him that she had been given a mild sedative and would probably sleep for the next hour or so. Gary thought it was decent of Francis to wait outside the door to allow Gary a moment alone with his wife. Harvey stood standing looking out the window. Harvey's shoulders were stumped and he looked drained even from the back. Gary was impatiently waiting for his wife's doctor to return. The nurse had informed him as they walked that the doctors had been blessed to bring down Marissa's blood pressure and they were hopeful that the transplant had worked. Gary knew that there was nothing new the doctors could tell him, but he wanted to hear any updates first hand. He was deeply concerned about what was had caused his collapse in the waiting room. He knew something bizarre had happened to him. He decided to ask the doctor to check him over the moment he was reassured about Marissa.

"Something happened to me in the waiting room. Do you feel okay? Maybe there's gas escaping or something," Gary inwardly wished he had his special paper to verify. "Harvey, did you notice anything strange in there? Whatever happened to me even had me hearing things. It even sounded as if you told the nurse that you were Marissa's husband. The moment I know Marissa really out of danger I'm going to ask one of them to check me out. You better let them look you over too." Gary suggested. He was perplexed by his friend's silence.

Harvey sighed and started talking as he continued to look out the window. "I should have been her husband. I'm not blaming anyone, but we should be married right now. I met Marissa through your ex-wife. She told me that Marissa was unattached and was looking for a man. I guess Marcia had listened to you more often than you thought. She knew a lot about Marissa through you off-handed comments at home. Marcia didn't want you obviously, but she didn't want you with anyone else, especially not Marissa. Marcia saw Marissa as damaged goods and Marcia couldn't tolerate the fact that an inferior had completely won your heart without even trying….I drugged you Gary…and to be honest had it not been for that nut case, Francis I would have killed you and felt justified in the murder. I….wanted you out of the way…it was nothing personal mind you. I destroyed the cup with the drug so you have no proof. I'll deny everything. No evidence. No attempted murder charge. The drug doesn't stay in the blood stream long enough for you to trace it." Harvey turned from the window and stared coldly at Gary. "I still love her Gary. I need her, but for some reason she wants you. Tell her I said that, please." Harvey turned to leave. Gary was stunned. He opened his mouth to speak. The sense of betrayal held his tongue.

"Mr. Harvey Williams, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against in a court of law…." Francine cuffed Harvey as two under cover detectives dressed as hospital volunteers came through the door with their revolvers drawn. They started to escort the shocked man out of the room.

"What's going on? Who are you Francis?" Gary exclaimed. Gary looked at Harvey, then at Francis and then at the two volunteers.

"We have it all on tape both audio and video." Francis opened her jacket to reveal two small stainless steel disks. One disk was taped to the outside of Francis' printed bulky sweater and the other to inside of her sweater.

"Police Chief Crumb knew that Williams has been writing you wife love letters for years from prison. Marissa didn't want to worry you so she kept Chief Crumb informed. Williams got out of jail four months ago. He stopped checking in with his parole officer so we became curious. Williams has been following your wife for weeks. She's a real trooper Mr. Hobson. The police may want to ask you a few questions. If so they'll let you know. I pray that things go well for you and your wife. Go easy on yourself. Williams has fooled a lot people over the years. The best to you and your wife." Francis stepped out of the door. The two officers followed her. Gary heard Francis sneeze.

Gary walked back to the chapel he reluctantly asked one of the volunteers for directions. He was ecstatic at the Lord's mercy. It did not matter to him, if Marissa had gained vision or not. He wanted it because she wanted it, but he loved her regardless and prayed that she would love him if she now had her sight. Gary pushed open the chapel door and found a young couple kissing. The well dressed muscular man was a foot or so taller than the petite woman. Gary sat in the back pew. He felt like a voyeur listening to them moan softy and rub each other's everything.

"Cough, cough." Gary said.

"I love you, Clark" The petite brunette said standing on her tiptoes.

"I love you, Lois, I praise the Lord for my health and you and for our baby, Lois, and we're going to have a baby." The man happily said. Gary tried sneezing but he couldn't pull it off. He wanted to get back to his wife.

"Congratulations. I'm glad your prayers were answered and then some." Gary smiled speaking loudly.

"They really were. How is your wife?" The attractive woman beamed holding her husband around his slender waist.

"She had a rough time during the surgery, but she's been blessed." Gary commented shaking the woman's hand as well as that of her husband.

"I pray things continue to work out for you two." Clark said adjusting his brown horn rimmed glasses and held the door for his wife.

**Chapter 3**

Marissa was awakened by her husband's tender kisses. Her brown eyes were bandaged. She giggled.

"Gary, I've missed you. That had better be you or you'll have to hell to pay, if you're not Gary Hobson." Marissa giggled again.

"Do you make it a habit of kissing mysterious men?" Gary joked.

"Only after surgeries, if you think the kiss was something. I want any man who can kiss as well you to father my child." Marissa replied.

"I'm ready right now, if you are Miss. There's only condition, other than marriage of course, you have to promise to love me in spite of your vision. Can you continue to love me if you have your vision? Can you do that Marissa?" Gary asked no longer joking. He grasped Marissa's hands tightly.

"We vowed in sickness and in health so I guess it also meant in vision and in blindness." Marissa said softly. Gary kissed her deeply.

**The End**


End file.
